Deras, Identity, and Caste Cleavages in the Sikh-Dominated Society of Punjab

Bibliographic Data

ID3371665
AuthorsSurinder Singh (0000-0002-5136-060X, Panjab University, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume15
Issue9
Pages1039
Publication date2024-08-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel15091039
OpenAlexW4401915128
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited23

The argument of the paper is that deras, as religio-spiritual and philanthropic organizations, play a critical role in the identity formation of their followers (by providing them distinct symbols, sacred texts, gurus, cultural traits, codes of conduct, rituals, and prayers), which score the social surface and carve out numbers of distinct religio-cultural groups in the Sikh-dominated society of Punjab. Moreover, the value gainsay, along with the orchestrated identity formation process of deras, generates conflict in the Sikh-dominated society of Punjab, which deepens the prevailing social cleavages as well as generating new conflicts in the society. Such conflicts further degrade the social position of deras' followers (who invariably belong to Scheduled Castes and Backward Castes) and even marginalize them within their own erstwhile caste(s) and community. By taking Dera Sacha Sauda as a reference, the paper shows that the value gainsay and the identity formation processes of the dera generate social conflict between its followers and radical Sikhs in Punjab. The study reveals that such conflict not only generates new social cleavage(s) (viz., Premies vs. Sikhs) between the two ideologically distinct segments but also engenders the prevailing caste and class cleavages in society

Aesthetics · Caste · Political science · Sociology · Gender Studies · Law · Philosophy · South Asian Cinema and Culture · South Asian Studies and Conflicts · South Asian Studies and Diaspora

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